Rita Jo Gilmore was born Nov. 4, 1926, in Whitney, Hill County, Texas. She was the daughter of Earl and Zolena Overton Gilmore. Both sets of her grandparents were early Whitney settlers. Rita graduated as Valedictorian of her class at the age of 15. She was an honor student at Hill College in 1943. She then attended Texas Womens's University, & Southwestern University in Georgetown, where she pledged Phi MU. On Jan 7, 1946, she married Melvin Earl "Buddy" Allen in Travis County Texas. They settled in San Antonio, where Buddy joined the family business, Allen Transfer & Storage Company. They were blessed with their son, Kenneth, born in San Antonio on August 24, 1946.
Rita received an education in the Moving and Storage business in San Antonio, Texas, while managing storage units for The Allen Transfer & Storage Company. In 1955, the R.M. Allen and Sons Transfer and Storage, San Antonio, as an exclusive agent for United Van Lines, added a branch of the company in Laredo. A fleet of modern vans allowed them to move Military personnel to several Military bases throughout Texas. The company provided international shipping to and from Mexico, working with US Customs at the International Bridge in Laredo. Rita and Buddy were active in The International Good Neighbor Council and traveled to Mexico to help promote and establish new chapters. They were active participants in social, charitable, and business organizations in Laredo. She was a volunteer member of several organizations such as The Laredo Civic Music Association, The Womans City Club and Laredo Mercy Hospital. They hosted several receptions in their home & beautiful gardens for the benefit of Laredo charities.
On August 31, 1960, they were blessed with the birth of their daughter, Marlena. Their son, Kenneth was 14 and delighted to have new baby sister. Kenneth was an entertainer. He was an accomplished dancer, pianist and singer. Marlena was also an accomplished dancer. Both were students of the Lacey School.
Poor health plagued Buddy in his later years. Rita, a woman of perseverance, continued to operate Allen Transfer, with the help of their daughter Marlena, employed at the company for many years. Buddy passed away on May 20, 1982. In 1963, Rita married John Fitzgibbon. John passed away in 2015. Her son Kenneth, a Disabled American Veteran, passed away in Corpus Christi, Texas, in July of 1993. Rita was preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Zolena Overton Gilmore, her first husband of 37 years, Melvin Earl Allen, her only son, Kenneth M. Allen, and her only brother, Dr. Earl Gilmore. Left to cherish her memory is her daughter Marlena Evans(Albert) Benavides; grandchildren, Evangeline De Vermillion, Elizabeth Evans, Elise Evans, & Tex Benavides, great grandchildren, Elias Thompson, David Scott Thompson, and Vincent Evans. A Memorial Mass was held on Saturday, November 7, 2020 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church at 11:30 am. Interment of ashes followed at the Laredo City Cemetery. Ashes interred next to Melvin Earl Allen in her son, Kenneth Allen's gravesite.Funeral arrangements were by Fred Dickey Funeral and Cremation Services.